Five years after New York banned single-use plastic bags, a grocery chain executive believes that the legislation has been a win-win.
On April 22, 2019, the New York State Bag Waste Reduction Act was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. This legislation looked to reduce the amount of plastic waste that was created throughout the state. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the state produced up to 23 billion plastic bags each year prior to the ban.
The law also allows local governments to impose a five-cent fee on paper carryout bags, with a portion of the fee directed toward purchasing and distributing reusable bags. The ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect on March 1, 2020. However, enforcement of the law by the DEC didn't begin until Oct. 19, 2020.
Mona Golub, vice president of public relations for grocery chains Price Chopper and Market 32, views the ban on plastic bags as a victory for everybody, especially once consumers are equipped with reusable bags.
"So instead of coming to the store and purchasing disposable bags every time you shop, it's much more affordable to either bring a reusable bag or to buy a heavily discounted one here that's going to last you for a decade or two," Golub told WRGB CBS 6.
"That means no more nickels will need to be spent," Golub added.
A report from the U.N. Environment Programme notes that over 440 million tons of plastic waste is produced across the globe every year. By 2050, the annual global production of plastic is forecast to reach over 1 billion tons, which will only increase the amount of waste.
Plastic waste can lead to ecosystem damage and soil and water pollution. Since plastic doesn't biodegrade, it accumulates in landfills as it breaks down into microplastics that then contaminate the environment and even infiltrate food chains. With bans on single-use plastics, the impacts of plastic waste on the planet can be lessened.
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Heck yes! 💯 Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, has been impressed with the results of the ban in New York. However, Enck feels that even more can be done. "It has been largely effective," Enck told The New York Times, "but [the] New York Department of Environmental Conservation needs to step it up and start enforcing the law more effectively than they have been in New York City."
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